When a Xiamen Airlines plane skidded off the runway at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last week, tens of thousands of passengers were affected. The incident led to the closure of the runway for over 36 hours and the cancellation of hundreds of flights.
The airport terminals were overflowing with angry, frustrated passengers who missed their flights.
Many of these passengers were overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), many of whom would later fear that they might lose their jobs or face sanctions for failing to arrive on the expected date. A lot of these OFWs also had to sleep on the floor and many went hungry because they didn’t have enough allowance to buy the food being sold at the airport or find someplace else to sleep.
A lot also had problems rebooking their flights and are still stuck at the airport.
Php5k Assistance from DFA
In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that the affected OFWs will receive Php5,000 as assistance from the government.
“We are releasing a reasonable amount from our Assistance to Nationals Fund as we understand that a number of our kababayan remain stranded and do not have funds to meet their daily needs,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano announced.
Workers only need to present the following to claim the monetary assistance:
- airline ticket showing original date of departure
- employment contract
- overseas employment certificate
- reissued ticket showing new date of departure
Certifications for Employers
Because many OFWs feared they might lose their jobs, the DFA also promised to help them by issuing certifications to explain the reason why they weren’t able to arrive on schedule.
To claim the monetary assistance, OFWs can go to Office of Migrant Workers Affairs in Roxas Boulevard or go to the designated assistance centers at NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 3.
